Garment



Nov. 15, 1927.

N. HATCH GARMENT IIIIHHHHHHH- Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES NATHAN BATCH, or ALBANY, NEW Yonx.

GABMENT.

Application mea nay 1o, i927. serial No. 190,185.

This invention relates to wearing apparel 'and more particularly to running track pants and to undergarments of similar type.

,Garments of this typew have heretofore 5 been commonly made with a buttoned closure in the front portion of the garment and with a' waistband provided with sets of spaced eyeletsand a drawstring at the rear so that the band might be tightened.v This construction, however, does not provide any resiliency in the waistband nor permit the freedom of body movement .desired at the present time in .garments adaptable for athletic wear, or wherever complete freedom of movement is desired. A further disadvantage of the drawstring type of garment is that when the strings are tightly drawn they cause, or tend to cause, the waistband to pucker and gather into an objectionable 20 bunch.

These various defects are obviated in my present invention which provides means to exert'a smooth, uniformly distributed elastic or resilient tightening action throughout a substantial width ofthe waistband. In providing such elastic means the inelastic body portion. ofthe Garment must be so arranged that there will be no gathering of the fabric underneath, nor bulging outside v of, the elastic means, which would render the garment uncomfortable and unsightly.

Another object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a garment of the above type in which the gathering or buckling of fabric on'the face of the elastic strip is avoided.

With these and other objects in view which will be lapparent from the following description, the invention comprises the garment described and defined in the following speciication and claims.

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a verticalrear view of a garment embodying my invention. l

,Figa 2 is a detail' view on an enlarged scale showing a fragment of the garment at the rear of the waistband when extended to its maximum circumference.

Fi f3` is a detail view o'f thev upper or Waist and portion of the'garment taken from the inside of the waist and and showin the waistband `in its most contracted position.

Figa.

Y The waistband of my present invention is made 1n two portions, or is cut at the rear to form two portions, the front portion of the garment being constructed in the usual, or any desired, manner and having the usual button closure. The rear end portions are connected by means of-a strip or'strips of resilient material of very nearly, or substantially, the width of the waistband. Suitable slots are provided through the end portions of the waistband through which the elastic material extends, and this material is then secured to the inner face of the waistband by means of buttons, or equivalent means, to permit removal. The elastic material is proportionately rather stiif transversely in comparison with its elasticity lengthwise, so that there is little tendency for it to buckle or draw together when it is put under a stress, and the stresses are, therefore, equally distributed throughout the entifre width of the elastic stri Referring more particularll;I to the accompanying drawing, the garment comprises a body portion 10 having leg pbrtions 11 and 12 of the usual, or any desired, construction. The garment is illustrated as applied to nainsook fabric. A waistband for the garment is formed of two portions or sections 13 and 14, the rear edges 15 and 16, respectively, of which are separated by a.` length 17 of the body portion 10. This length 17 limits the separation of the ends 15 and 16 of the band sections 13 and 14, respectively, to a denite maximum at the greatest expansion of the waistband.` The length 17 is provided with a suitable hem 18 secured directly, together with the body portion, to the lower ed es 19 and' 20 of the waistband. The end eV ges 15 and 16 of the waistband sections 13 and 14 are, however, resiliently drawn towards each other, as indicatedin Fig. 3, by means of an elastic strip 21 Secured at vit-s ends to the waistband sections 13 and 14. When the strip 21 soontracted toits normal unstretched length it draws the edges 15 and 16 in close proximity while the intermediate portion 17 of the body and the hem 18 ,fold below the lower edge of the waistband in the manner of gathers. Thls,

there isno bunching of material on either face of the elastic strip, and a smooth, close connection between the waistband elements is.provided. At the same time the upper edge 18 of the body portion reaches to the lower edge of the strip 21 so Vthat the garl ment is closed by the stri 21 to approximately the top of the waist and.

In order to enable the garment to be washed in hot water, or to be otherwise cleaned, without injuring or impairing the elastic strip, the strip is made detachable from the waistband. To enable this to be done without creating any tendenc for the band to pull together or to pull t e waistband out of shape, the' waistband portions 13 and 14 are provided with vertical, transverse slots 22 and 23, respectively, extending nearly the entire width of the bands. The elastic strip, which is of approximately the same width as the length of thel slots 22 and 23, extends over the outer face of the end portions of the band elements 13 and-14, thence through the slots 22 and 23 and along the inner faces of the` band portions. On the outer face of the elastic strip buttons 2A and 25 are secured, one near each end of the strip, suitable reinforcements 26 and 2Lbeing provided on the opposite face of the elastic strip. Buttonholes 28 and 29 are provided in the band portions 13 and 14 through which the buttons may bebuttoned and thus secured to the band elements.`

The elastic strip 21 preferably has a considcrable transverse stlfness relative to its longitudinal resistance to stretching, so that although it is anchored at but one point in its width, the tension' stresses are distributed laterally and thus overcome any tendency for the strip to pull out of shape -or draw in from its fiat position. For this purpose, the elastic material is preferably of a rather heavy, Woven material having lengthwise rubber strands 30 spaced at intervals,yand of intermediate crinkled fabric portions 31. As

the waistband expands and contracts under.

the various exertions of the wearer and the counteracting pull of the elastic strip 21, the strip 21 slides back and forth through the slots 22 and 23, always maintaining a flat, smooth formation.

The above invention thus provides a garment having a waistband providing the ,desired snugness and resiliency and having a smooth contour` throughout. It is apparent that changes may be made, consistent with the above disclosure, in the size, positions, len th or other features of construction wit out de art' from the invention. It is intended t at-al matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as 1llustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A garment of the type described which comprises a waistband divided at the rear into sections, the adjacent ends of said sections having transverse, vertical slots, a stri of elastic material extending through sai slots, means for removably securing the end portions of said elastic strip, projecting through said slots, to said waistband sections to elastically draw the ends of said sections together, and a body portion secured at its upper edge to the lower edge of said waistband sections and -spannin the distance between the lower corners o said waistband sections, the length of the body portion between adjacent ends of said waist band sections being greater than the distance between said ends when said elastic strip is secured in unstretched condition.

2. A garment of the type described which comprises a waistband divided at the rear to.

form two sections, a vertical slot in, and slightly spaced from, the rear edges of said sections, the lengths of said slots being nearly equal to the width of said waistband, a strip of elastic material of a width equal to the length of said slots and inserted therethrough to overlap and underlap portions of said waistband to reinforce and support said waistband, means to removably secure said elastic strip to said waistband forwardly of 'said slots, and a body portion secured at its upper edge to the lower edge of said band and having a len th intermediate the ends of said band to limit the stretch the lower edge of said elastic strip.

In testimonyywhereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

NATHAN HATCH. 

